Quincy 10-year-olds win state baseball championship

The Quincy Youth Baseball 10-year-old All-Star team recently won the state championship in Methuen. This weekend, they play the regional tournament in New Hampshire for a chance to make it to nationals in Virginia.

When the Quincy Youth Baseball 10-year-old All-Star team took the field Thursday night against Westwood, it was just practice for a much bigger set of games this weekend.

After winning the district tournament, the all-star team advanced to the state championship, but lost its first two games. The kids didn't let that bother them, though. They stormed back to win five straight games in Methuen to win the state championship, even defeating the defending champion from Plymouth.

Plymouth had slaughter-ruled every team it played before Quincy, meaning Plymouth was up by at least 10 runs after four innings in each game. When it came time for the semifinal, Quincy turned the tables, slaughter-ruling Plymouth, 16-5, in four innings.

“The game against Plymouth, how we beat them and the way it went, it definitely was a little surprising,” assistant coach AJ Kabilian said. “Plymouth is really a powerhouse.”

After defeating Plymouth, the kids defeated host Methuen, 4-0, to win the state title.

The all-star team plays the regional tournament beginning Saturday in Exeter, New Hampshire. Its first game in the double-elimination tournament is against the Rhode Island state champions. If the Quincy team wins the tournament, it will go to the Cal Ripken 10-year-old World Series in Virginia.

“We could be going to the nationals in Virginia,” Kabilian said. “I think (our chances) are great. I think we have some really talented kids.”

First-year head coach Adam Nelson said he knows “it's a whole new ball game” at the regional level. He said the goal all along has been to make sure the kids have fun.

“These are 10-year-old kids,” he said. “We're really trying to teach them baseball, but to have fun while doing it. We're very loose and we're laid back and we have fun.”

Both coaches believe that this all-star team is the first 10-year-old Quincy Youth Baseball team to ever win a state championship.

They said it has been an all-around team effort from everyone involved.

“We have a complete team of 14 great players, all really involved, from the players, to the coaches to the parents,” Kabilian said. “You can really tell something special is brewing here.”